PRESIDENT DENKTAS: "IF THEY ACCEPT TRNC’S
EXISTENCE CROSSINGS CAN BE EASED"
President Rauf R. Denktas, stated that as
long as the Greek Cypriot Administration’s intention to dominate the whole
island continues, control at the checkpoints was essential. President
Denktas said if the Greek Cypriot side accepted the existence of the TRNC,
then two sovereign states just like the EU countries could have agreed to
end all the restrictions on crossings.
President Denktas, in his written
statement issued yesterday (24 August) pointing out that because of the
crowd at the checkpoints some circles have requested the crossings to take
place without showing identity cards, said some procedures were being
implemented at the checkpoints because the Turkish Cypriot side did not
recognize the usurped title of the "Legitimate Cyprus Government" and in
order not to lose our rights and freedoms.
Stating that the danger was still there as
long as the Greek Cypriot side’s claim of being the sole legitimate
government of the whole island continues, President Denktas said:
"We are protecting our country and
freedom. If we are one of the sovereign and equal sides, if we are not going
to be slaves of the Greek Cypriots, if we are not going to live under the
curse of our martyrs by giving Cyprus as a gift to Greece just like Crete,
we have to be patient and strong while protecting our country. We never left
the fronts. We should not forget that the Greek Cypriots never give up on
their basic national goals. The ones who hold their breaths, be patient and
confident will win at the end. Marathon is continuing."
JOINT COMMITTEE ON MISSING
PERSONS NOT CALLED FOR A MEETING DESPITE INITIATIVES OF TURKISH CYPRIOT SIDE
Although the issue of solving the problem
of missing persons which constitutes an important part of the Cyprus issue
has reached to a crucial stage, the Autonomous Missing Persons Committee who
is supposed to play the main role in overcoming this issue could not meet.
According to the Turkish News Agency
(TAK), despite the Turkish Cypriot side’s initiatives on this issue, the
date of the Committee’s meeting is still uncertain. Although the meeting,
which was expected to take place on Monday (23 August), was delayed until
today (25 August), the two sides have not yet received a formal invitation.
A new process of the issue of missing
persons has started at the begining of July 2004, as a result of the
Secretary-General’s letter sent to both sides following the Turkish Cypriot
side’s initiatives.
It has been reported that the main problem
on this issue is the place where the DNA tests would be made after the
graves have been opened. While the UN and the Greek Cypriot officials put
precondition to make all kind of tests in the Genetical Hospital in South
Cyprus, the Turkish Cypriot side requests that if the tests to be made in
the said hospital, the hospital should be opened for common use of the two
peoples and that to have a right to speak on this process.
Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat, in his
statement issued on Monday (23 August) on this issue, said if the hospital
in South Cyprus was not organized for the use of both peoples, the tests
would be made in Turkey.
GREEK CYPRIOTS PREVENT FIRST
INITIATIVE FOR TRADE TO SOUTH CYPRUS
The first transport of goods to South
Cyprus within the framework of the Green Line Regulation, failed yesterday
(24 August). Despite the Turkish Cypriot side’s good will and initiatives
towards peace, the Greek Cypriot side by repeating its negative attitude,
rejected approximatley 100 kilos fish with the certificate of origin number
"001" given by the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce.
When the 100 kilos fish was taken to
Metehan Checkpoint, the Greek Cypriot officials kept the Turkish Cypriot
officials waiting by saying that they have called a veterinary to control
the fish and then the Greek Cypriot officials rejected the transfer of fish
by claiming that this was against the Green Line Regulation.
